The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
by F.J. Stellar
Summary: An original and distinct retelling of TWW. TxW
1. Chapter One: Link of Outset

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THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: _THE WIND WAKER_

[Part One] ****

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CHAPTER 1 ****

[Link of Outset] 

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On an insignificant, uncelebrated island there lived an insignificant, uncelebrated boy. It was quite a lovely little island in the southern, balmy seas and for sixteen years he had lived there doing those insignificant that children do to pass their childhood by in a blur of ocean sun. He had a little sister, a fair, freckled girl always full of jests and mischief and it was in her good company that he did pass each insignificant day, just as uncelebrated as the last, never dreaming of the world beyond their island's harbor.

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Such a strange choice the gods made, choosing Link of Outset for such a grand task. Yes, it was surely the winds of fate that sent him forth chasing a legend across the vast stretches of the ocean. Like an autumn leaf spiraling lazily down from an oak, Link's unsuspecting sail caught a tall wind and by the time the gale died down he would be unrecognizable as the insignificant, uncelebrated boy from Outset. 

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However our boy Link Raintree had no inkling whatsoever about what was to come, for today was his birthday, and there was nothing on his mind save for that…

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Today he was sixteen.
    
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It was Island tradition that a boy be considered a man on his sixteenth birthday and Link had been up since dawn to ensure that his first day of adulthood would last as long as possible. He had crept out of the house without breakfast while Aryll and Gran were still fast asleep.

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Outset was a tired, sleepy island where even the waves went about their business in a slower, torpid manner. There sure were a lot more old folks than kids on Outset Island and Link always thought Outset boredom would have been more bearable if there was someone his age around to endure it with him. Link did have Aryll, but there was still no boredom like Outset boredom.

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Link strolled along the beach on his way to the watchtower. The watchtower had severed virtually no purpose in over seventy years since there had been _nothing to watch for_ in over since then. Nothing had ever happened on Outset, nor would it. Pirates were scarce in the south for there were no riches to plunder; all the money had been drawn to the city port of Windfall in the north. The only business at Outset Island was fish and fish alone. Link had always been certain that if he wanted adventure he would have to go looking for it—it would never find him here.
    
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As he hoisted himself onto the watchtower deck, there was a deafening discord of indignant squawks and then a whoosh of twenty pairs of wings as the seagulls, in chaotic unity, took off at his presence. 

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"Go on!" shouted Link. "Get lost, the lot of you!" He laughed, stomping after them until he met the rail. Aryll would be furious if she knew he'd been tormenting her birds; Aryll had a sort of affinity fore those pesky gulls.

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From this vantage, one could see the entire north side of Outset Island. Outset was really two islands that rose directly out of the ocean into sheer, slate cliffs, except for a small, grassy strip that sloped shallowly up from the tide waters. The islands were joined together by the docks that ran the gap between the two, also acting as a barrier from the sharp rocks that projected out of the waters just yonder.

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The sleepy cluster of wooden houses stood near the docks and at the docks there bobbed several small fishing trawlers. Tiered along next to them was Beedle's colorful sampan, which served not only as his home but also as a travelling shop.

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But it was the small boat to the left of Beedle's that was of greatest interest to Link, for it belonged to him. He had labored all year building that boat and had taken it out around the island for a test run once or twice. The skiff seemed sturdy enough and even though it wasn't the least bit attractive, it was his ticket out of Outset and on to greater things.

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All he needed now was a sail.

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He'd been hinting for over a year now about just exactly what he wanted for his birthday. When the racing schooners with their crisp white sails pulled into port, he'd sigh to his grandmother, "Gee, it's a shame my boat doesn't have a sail, eh Gran?" And when Gran would ask him how it was going with his boat, Link would tell it her it was all going swell, but then, dismally, he'd add, "It ain't much good without a sail, though."

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It was a shoo-in for sure. A woman who could diagnose a cold from the first sniffle could certainly pick up on the obvious clues he'd left by heavy sighs at the sight of a sailboat. That sail was as good as his.

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There was also the option of writing to his father to ask for a sail, but Link figured his chances of actually getting one weren't worth the postage charge. It had never seriously occurred to Link to do so, for never in his life had he asked something of his father and he wasn't about to start now. Except for a few short months in the winter, his father, Mr. Raintree, spent his time fishing with a crew somewhere in the east. Gran said he couldn't stand to live on Outset after what happened to Link's dear mum. 

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His ears perked to the '_thunk, thunk'_ sound of somebody making the climb up the ladder. Link waited for Aryll's head to peek over the edge of the platform, but she did show. He rolled his eyes skyward and called out, "I know you're there! Give it a rest; it wasn't even funny the first time, Aryll!"

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Aryll was getting good at this. She didn't even have to smother a giggle this time.

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Link sighed and muttered, "_Fine have it your way_," as he turned back around…

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…only to find himself nose to nose with his sister.

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Link jumped back with a sharp yelp.

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BIG BROTHER!" cried Aryll. Even for the little, blonde runt she was, Aryll could sure still bellow louder and longer than any barrel-chested sailor Link had ever met. Aryll was forever giggles and freckles and she collapsed into a fit of the former at Link's alarm.

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"For somebody who's 'sposed to be _sixteen_ you still scare easy as you did when you were _fifteen_," said Aryll, who lifted herself onto the rail and took a seat. Aryll appeared to be scrutinizing Link with her large, round eyes. "You look the same, too."

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"It's only been since yesterday," replied Link.

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"Yeah, but still…" Aryll insisted. The girl was silent for a moment, still looking disappointed at Link's lack of dramatic transformation. "Oh, right! Gran wants you down at the house. She sent me to fetch you."

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"For what?" said Link in a would-be casual voice, though he knew with great glee what Gran wanted with him.

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"Oh, I don't know-but I sure bet it has nothing to do with your birthday," she said dryly.

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Link didn't bother bidding her farewell, since there was no point in wasting niceties on Aryll. He hurried down the ladder in what he supposed to be record time. After a full year of tactful hinting and unbearable anticipation, that sail was almost his! He tried very hard to straighten out a gleeful skip in his stride as he past the docks. 

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Now that the sun had fully risen the fishermen were busy preparing their trawlers for a day out at sea. Amidst the chaos of loading lobster traps and repairing nets, a few noticed Link and called out, wishing him a very happy birthday.

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The bent back of a man hunched over next to a colorful sampan caught Link's eye. The man's name was Beedle, and he happened to be a good friend of the family's.

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"'Oy! Beedle!"

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Beedle peered over his slumped shoulder at Link, offering him a feeble grin. Beedle was still fairly young, and quite the entrepreneur. Sailing in his rickety sampan, he sold useless junk and unripe fruit across the seas and made a pretty penny at it too! He was forever dreaming up new ways to lure business. Just last month he had commissioned a local artist to paint a truly awful mural on the side of his sampan, featuring himself in traditional Hylian garb, holding a bag of bait. His slogan ran beneath: _The best feed on the seven seas!_

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"Hey, Link! I'm heading out to sea soon, but the darn wind is blowing in from the north. So I'm stuck here 'til Zephos decides to change his mind." Zephos was the unpredictable wind god, who blew both good weather and hurricanes to shore.

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"Well, you know Gran says_: the wind is always blowing in the right direction for somebody_." Gran liked to quote that line every time Link grumbled about his misfortunes, be they weather related or not. 

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"_Hmpf_! Yeah, for the competition," grumbled Beedle, securing his supplies to the back of the boat. He took his first good look at Link and leapt up as though a realization had struck him. "Oh! Goddesses, Link, I almost forgot what today is! Happy Sixteenth!" 

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"Thanks, Beedle"
    
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"Oh, by the way, Aryll stopped by. Said that Gran is looking for you. Drop by later; I've got something for you."

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"See you then!"

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Link avoided by harangued by Orca, which always happened when he cut through the grump's lawn, by taking the long way home. Several more islanders congratulated him on his coming of age. Being polite as possible, Link avoided conversation and hurried up his porch steps, convinced that a brand new sail awaited him inside.

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Disclaimer: Not in any shape or form does Zelda belong to me.

Author's Note: A warning: this story is more loosely based on the canon than most _Wind Waker_ fan fictions. Liberties with the plot and characters have been taken and abused. Please let me know what you think thus far! Please Review—it would positively make my day!!! 


	2. Chapter Two: A Tunic and a Telescope

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C H A P T E R 2

[A Tunic and a Telescope]

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Their house looked much the same as the other houses on Outset. There was little wealth on the island, but there were plenty of palm trees. People built their houses out of tree logs and wove roofs and mats out of tree leaves. Each house had a verandah, each house had wide storm shutters for the hurricane season, each roof was peaked—and if it weren't for the distinct smell that always hit him upon entering the door, Link figured he wouldn't be able to tell his own home from his neighbors'.

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The scent was on the account of Gran's cooking and oh, what a cook she was! Always there was something simmering over the fireplace, and if it wasn't her famous soup, it was lobster or salted fish. Today it was most defiantly soup and Link took in a great whiff of it as he came in.

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The other islanders often joked that she should set up a restaurant at Windfall and make a fortune. She'd respond, " I would've went if you had put it passed me years ago, but it's too late now. This ol' Kargarok isn't budging from her nest." Gran was as stubborn as anybody one from Outset was—too stubborn to give up on the old ways of fishing and move to the bigger, more prosperous islands. 

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"Smells good, Gran!" hollered Link over the hissing of the boiling pot. Gran was a bit deaf, so one had to yell a little to get her attention. "Gran?"

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Still, Gran did not seem to have heard him come in, for she continued to chop a turnip with her back to him. Link moved into the kitchen, took a seat, and since it appeared that Gran was still oblivious to him, he helped himself to a few, forbidden berries. However, just as Link was about to pop them into his mouth, Gran suddenly barked, "Link Raintree! Eat those and you can forget supper! I'm using them to make a pie." 

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How she managed to do that always eluded Link. Gran was the sharpest person Link knew and it seemed she could sense a rule being broken a mile away. What she lacked in youth was made up for by her shrewd strictness.

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"Well come here and give your Gran a hug, then," she said with half-feigned impatience.

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He had found himself of late handling his grandmother gingerly as if he held her too hard he'd crack her like a china saucer. Link patted her softly on the back while she gave him a short squeeze. Link felt her age more than she did. 

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"Let me have a look at you," she said, holding him at arms length.

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Link had to stoop to meet her eye to eye. Gran was a short woman with a kindly round face that betrayed her authority. She was getting on in her years. Never had she been young in Link's recollection and she was even slower in her ways lately. Her gray hair was pulled into a bun and creases from countless smiles and frowns lined her face. 

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"Sixteen! Oh Goddesses! Wear does the time go? If only your Father was in port today…you're the exact spit of him when he came of age."

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Gran must have seen Link's face fall, for she hastily cleared her throat. "And I have a present that I believe belongs to you."

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This was it. A year of desperate longing and fevered anticipation came down to the moment. Gran emerged from the backroom holding a package wrapped in brown paper. Link attempted to suck in several, steadying breaths.

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She placed the package in his hands.

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Please be a sail! Please be a sail! Please be a sail! It has to be a sail!

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Link wasted no time wrangling the twine off the package then he tore open the paper. Gran watched Link, smiling at his excitement.

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Please, please, please, be a sail!

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Neatly folded in half was a rich green fabric, the wrinkles ironed smooth.

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It is!

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Link hugged his present close to his chest and from the heavy cloth spread euphoric warmth, starting from the hands that clutched it, then all through his body. A sail, he thought. A beautiful green sail! He held his ticket out of Outset in his very hands.

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"I thought you'd like it but I never expected this. You'd think you've never gotten a birthday present in your life the way you're getting on," laughed Gran.

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"Gran…" Link searched for words that would not come. "It's amazing. Thanks!" He bent down and gave her a peck on the cheek.

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"I though the color would bring out your eyes," she said. "Try it on!"

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"The color in my eyes? I don't know about that, Gran, but it will sure match the color I painted the trim of my boat. I'll take it down to the docks right now and try it on for size!"

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"To the docks? Whatever for?"

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Link shook his head incredulously, with a grin still plastered across his face. " To put my new sail on my boat!"

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"What sail?"

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He gave an odd, disbelieving, half-laugh, thinking for sure his Gran must be just teasing him. "This one!" Link said and he held the folded green cloth up as if to convince Gran as to what her own gift was.

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A sleeve dropped limply out from the rest of the material.

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Link's mouth fell open.

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"It's not a sail, is it," he said slowly, feeling as though something had turned his insides to lead.

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He unfolded the green bundle and saw exactly what his birthday gift was. It was a heavy, cloth tunic and a ridiculous matching cap. Rolled up in one of the sleeves was a pair of white leggings.

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"No, silly," Gran smiled. 'What else would you get on you sixteenth birthday beside from a set of hero's clothes? Don't you like them?"

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"Oh…oh, oh yes, of course I do, Gran. They're excellent," he lied, trying valiantly to swallow bitter taste of disappointment out of his mouth. 

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"Well, put it on!"

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Link stumbled numbly behind the dressing screen. Of course—_Hero Clothes._ How could have he forgotten? He berated himself bitterly as he pulled the ugly, heavy tunic over his head.

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Outset Island had a rather peculiar tradition of dressing boys in elfin costumes, much like the ones the Hero of Time was said to have worn. It was a rite of passage to don the foolish outfit that consisted of a tunic, leggings, and a pointed hat. Link barely remembered the last boy to wear such garbs, for there was nobody near his age on Outset. He did know, however, that he was about to become the butt of many jokes and the center of the time-honored tradition of teasing the new "Hero".

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Link's knowledge of the Hero of Time was mainly limited to his odd wardrobe and a few lines of the epic poem that had been passed down through the ages orally, since it was rare to come by someone who could understand written words. There were many variations, as each sailor liked to add his own spin, and little by little the legend had turned into something of a joke. Every detail had been twisted and skewed into sheer nonsense. 

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But the legend always began the same way, and it was on that point only did the storytellers agree. 

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There had once been a great kingdom. It have never been quite clear to Link as to what exactly a Kingdom was, for nothing of the sort existed now. Gran said it was a sort of an order where one man ruled a land as large as the Great Seas. Link could hardly comprehend such a thing, because each scattered island kept to their selves, but nevertheless, there had once been a kingdom, in a time before the Great Seas.

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The _Old Kingdom _came under siege and it seemed a dark end was near. But then, out of nowhere, came the Hero, galloping atop his valiant steed (again, Link wasn't sure what a steed was, but given the context, he assumed it to be a type of boat) and vanquished the great evil. How he accomplished such a feat was beyond Link, for everybody had composed his own adventure for the Hero over the years. 

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So the Hero went down in history as the Hero of Time and disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared. His tale became legend, but when the evil returned to resume its dark designs the Hero did not turn up to save the day. The people of the _Old Kingdom _appealed to the Gods in their hopelessness, but a reply came in ruin and nothing of the _Old Kingdom_ survived but the legend.

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Link had always found the legend quite discouraging and thought it odd people still worshiped this Hero who turned his back on the Kingdom. The Hero also had quite a questionable taste in his apparel.

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"Well hurry up, Link! I haven't all day!" called Gran from the other side of the dressing screen.

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"Just a minute," Link shouted back, buckling the belt Gran had handed him.

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"Come out and let's have a look."

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Reluctantly, Link shuffled out from behind the screen. Gran clasped her hands together and beamed at Link as though she were holding back tears of pride. "Oh, you look so handsome, Link. I bet even the Hero didn't look as dashing in those clothes as you do," she breathed, dabbing the corner of her eyes with a tissue.

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Link seriously doubted that.

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"Have a glance at yourself—_and don't you dare take that hat off Link Raintree_!" Gran said as Link went to remove the cap.

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"Aww, Gran," moaned Link, as she gave him a light shove in the direction of the full-length mirror in the backroom.

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Gran must have been losing her eyes in her old age; dashing and handsome would certainly not be words used to describe his reflection. Comical and green was more like it. He scowled darkly at his image and pulled at the tunic that was much too loose for him. The leggings felt too short for his gangly legs. Link still bore the skinny awkwardness of a boy younger than he, though the last year he had sprouted several inches. As for being the spit of his father, well, Link would wager even his father-- a sturdy man with commanding presence--would contest to that.

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Gran had quickly gotten over her wonderment of Link and returned to her usual briskness. "Now, will you shoo? I've got a stew to make and you're in my way."

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"_Happy Birthday to me_," Link muttered under his breath. 

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He had decided to sulk by the docks. The tide was out and most of the fishing trawlers had left. The docks were quiet except for a few gulls pecking about. Link sat hunched by his own boat—a boat that would never leave the harbor. It was stuck, tiered to the docks of Outset, forever bobbing and straining against its ropes with each tug from the receding waves. 

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Link felt around for a rock. Finding a rounded, flat one, Link stood to throw it. Link was Outset's champion at skipping rocks and once he had gotten all the way up to thirteen skips before the rock sank. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the rock sailing over the water but he only managed to skip it once before it sank with a _plop._

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"_I give up_!" Link cried in frustration, throwing up his hands.

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"Something wrong, Big Brother?" asked Aryll, who had sneaked up from behind. She snickered at his new clothes.

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"Aww, Aryll! Just get lost!" 

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"How you gonna make me?" She grinned, stepping past him. Aryll climbed into his boat. She teased him like this all the time, but it was only today that it getting under his skin.

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"Aryll, get out of my boat!"

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"No!"

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Link jumped into the boat too, rocking it violently. " I said 'GET OUT'!"

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"Catch me if you—_oomph_!"

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Aryll's taunt was cut of, as while she was dancing out of Link's reach, she tripped over one of the seats. In an instant, Aryll grabbed onto the front of Link's shirt in a hopeless attempt to regain her balance. Link was hauled into to the water as well and the boat tipped over in their wake. 

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Sputtering, Link kicked himself to the surface. "Sweet Goddesses, Aryll! What did you do that for?"

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Aryll's little face poked out of the water. Panting, she said, " Don't get mad at me. You're the one who's got his brand new clothes soaked!"

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"Oh, no!" exclaimed Link. "Gran's gonna fry me!" Link felt the top of his head for his cap, touching only wet hair. "Where did my hat go?"

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Aryll giggled. She held up his soaking hat.

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"Give it here…I mean it, Aryll!"

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But she was already swimming to shore. Link dog paddled after her. Breathlessly, she stumbled up onto the east shore, Link not far behind. Aryll clutched his hat tightly, sprinting up the path. She tried to lose Link by climbing over a garden fence and make a run through Mr. Whidbey's over-grown garden. 

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"HEY YOU KIDS! GET OUTTA MY GARDEN!" shouted Mr. Whidbey from his porch.

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They paid no heed and Link chased Aryll around the shed. She doubled back to throw him off, but Link heard her and caught her just as she rounded the corner of Whidbey's shed. Aryll squirmed out of Link's hold and she was off like a shot.

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Link caught up with her some minutes later, for she had stopped unexplainably at the edge of the slate cliffs. She stared off a sea, eyes wide.

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Thoroughly winded, Link said, "You didn't drop it off the cliff, did you?"

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But she still held the hat at her side. There sounded a distant rumble like the boom of a thunderstorm far out to sea. The sunny day had turned to into a bleak, gray one in a matter of minutes. Link had only noticed the weather turn now and he felt the air grow heavy and hot against his skin. The winds gusting from the north suddenly died down, eerily silencing the rustle of the palm trees.

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"Aryll, what is it?"

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"There's a pirate ship out there," she answered. 

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"That's impossible. No pirates venture this far south; there's nothing to steal out here." There came the same, far off rumble. "It's just a storm. You're seeing things, Aryll."

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But when Link stepped beside her, he saw that there was indeed a pirate ship just outside the sleepy harbor. It was a huge, mighty galleon with countless sails and a lofty crow's nest. There came another blast for the ship's cannons that shook the island.

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"Is it shooting at us?" cried Aryll.

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"No…it's firing at something in the sky…but…" Link quickly scanned the gray skies. "…I can't see a thing. The clouds are real low. Aryll…give me your telescope!"

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"No. Last time I lent it to you, you cracked the lens."

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Boom. Boom.

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"Aryll, this is serious!" Link shouted over the cannon blasts. Over the thundering, Link heard a shrill shriek that scared Aryll so badly that she afforded to hand Link her telescope.

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Link hurriedly extended the telescope pointed it skyward. Something appeared out of the gathering, dark clouds, but it was too fuzzy to make out. Another shriek and an another blast sounded, and with trembling fingers, he focused the telescope. Still he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing…it looked like a bird's plumage.

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"Link, you don't need the telescope! Just look!"

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Please** Review**, _it would positively make my day!!! _

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Disclaimer: It's only two chapters in, and I'm already sick of doing this. I do not own Zelda.


	3. Chapter Three: The Face in the Water's G...

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C H A P T E R 3  
[The Face in the Water's Gloom]

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Link tore the telescope from his eyes and squinted skyward. A great, winged-beast descended out of the cloudbank and swooped around the ship, artfully dogging cannonballs. With a vulture's beak, vibrant plumage and mighty talons, the beast looked like the biggest kargorok Link had ever seen. It was nearly as large as the firing pirate ship and its frightening wingspan stretched the length of three houses. The winged-beast banked toward the island and Link found himself grabbing hold of Aryll.

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"Aryll, get down!" roared Link over the shrieks and explosions. 

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"LOOK! IT HAS SOMETHING IN ITS TALONS!" Aryll pointed and Link raised the telescope again.

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She was right—rather it had _someone_, not _something_. Clutched in its claws was a person…a girl. Link zoomed in further and he discerned a furious snarl on a young woman's face. The girl freed one of her arms and, with surprising swiftness, she unsheathed a dagger. Boldly, she stabbed it into the bird.

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The bird cried out again as it swooped over the gap between the two islands of Outset. The stab must have caused it only mild pain, for the winged-beast paused just for a moment. But it was long enough for the pirates below to get a dead shot. 

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BOOM!

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The entire island was shaken tremendously and lightning erupted from the darkening sky.

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The girl fell from the beast's clutches toward the rocks below. It was to Link's astonishment that she managed to grab hold of a withered branch that clung to the sheer, rock walls. The lifeless bird plunged into the waves with a colossal splash and Link was sure it was dead.

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"Aryll, stay here," Link ordered. He began to climb down the cliff, resting his feet on thin, craggy ledges. The girl couldn't cling onto the lifeless branch forever; he was going to lend her a hand.

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"Where are you going?" Aryll screamed, but he didn't answer her.

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It had begun to rain, making the slate ledges all the more slippery as he inched his way toward the young woman. Making a bold jump to a wider projection of rock, he found himself shy of an arm-reach from the girl. Link didn't even get a good look at her, for as he reached out to her and she to him, there came that same, wretched screech.

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The beast burst out of the waters below in a mad fury. Its horrible, gleaming eyes locked onto the two of them and narrowed dangerously. It sent its tail towards them like a whip and Link ducked just as it struck the rock wall. The bird soared away and Link saw that the branch had cracked off.

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Link peered down at the swelling waters below. She must have fallen into the sea and the distance was short enough that she may have survived the fall. However, the waters between the two cliffs were particularly dangerous because of the sharp rocks that rose out of the water like serrated teeth in a frothing, savage mouth. He had to get her out of the water fast, before the undercurrents smashed her against the rocks. 

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"HOLD ON! I'M COMING!" he shouted crazily, leaping down from ledge to ledge like some sort of mad, mountain goat. Even afterwards, Link never questioned why he put his neck at such risks for a person he had never met, let alone cared for. 

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Link reached the water's edge and he saw that the storm had churned the seas into a white, perilous frenzy. He tried not to imagine the might of the undertow she'd be battling to stay afloat. Amazingly, he spied her struggling to keep her head above water just a few meters off. Link made his way toward her, slipping on the kelp-covered rocks. He failed to maintain his balance and scraped his left knee badly. 

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Grimacing from his stinging gash, he saw that, again, the girl was just an arm-reach away. He lunged forth on his stomach and caught her wrist. Link felt her give into the pull of the undertow and now it was only his strength keeping her from being dragged completely into the dark depths. 

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Link eyes caught hers and, for a suspended moment, both starred with fascination at each other, their faces separated by the rolling surface of the water. 

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It might have been the cool gloom of the waters, but her face was ghostly white. Large, colorless eyes took over most of her delicate face and a gold circlet graced her brow. Her fair, almost white, hair swirled about her head, reminding Link of a picture he had once seen of a siren. But sirens were thick-lipped, exotic creatures, while this girl radiated an ethereal innocence. Link had only caught a quick glance at the young woman who had fallen out of the bird's clutches, but he knew that the girl he held now was not she. 

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As quickly as he had grabbed her, the girl slipped from his grip. A violent surge forced her above water and she kicked and fought as she gulped air desperately. Great swells were gathering in the frothing waters and the currents were suspended momentarily. The girl was caught unawares when the swell broke over the rocks, slamming her body against slate.

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There was no way she could be alive, but before Link could give it a second thought, he plunged in after her. The waters churned below the surface and vortexes of bubbles indicated where the undercurrents were. Link kicked downwards, seeing nothing but dark blue gloom.

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But just as his body refused to make one more motion without a breath of air, he caught sight of her. Link had hold of her and he was at the surface, treading water for the both of them. No way could he keep this up…both of their heads disappeared underwater…back up, with a frantic gulp of air on Link's part…down under again--longer this time… It was hopeless. Link wasn't about to let her go, but if he didn't her lifeless body would drag him down to his watery grave.

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"I SEE HER! OVER THERE!"

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Link barley heard the shouts, but just as he went under again, he saw the unpainted bow of a rowboat just ahead. 

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"CAPT'N! CAPT'N!"

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"Help!" cried Link, accidentally taking in a mouthful of water. 

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The boat was close now; the men inside stopped paddling for fear of hitting the pair with their oars. A pair of hands yanked the girl away from Link and he felt tremendous relief as he was alleviated from her sinking weight. Link reached out to be saved too.

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It was to his great surprise and alarm that the same set of hands that pulled the girl into the rowboat gave him a rough shove back into the waters. There must be mistake: who would toss a drowning boy back into the sea? Link tried again, hanging onto the side of the boat, almost swamping them.

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" Sweet Goddesses! He don't take a hint, do he!"

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Gripping him by the front of his tunic, the man brought Link inches from his snarling, fierce face—a pirate's face. Link didn't like the cold glint in his beady eyes at all.

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"No! Please!" gasped Link.

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With a wicked, buccaneer grin, the man growled, "Tell Davie Jones 'hi' for me, lad." 

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The handle of an oar cracked against his skull and with white stars exploding before his eyes, Link sank again under the waves.

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Author's Note: Oooo…the pirates aren't so lovable in this story. Mediocre? Good? Utter trash? Tell me in a **Review!**

Disclaimer: Not in any shape or form does Zelda belong to me.


	4. Chapter Four: In the Wake of the Helmaro...

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CHAPTER FOUR

[In the Wake of the Helmaroc King]

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When Link awoke the storm had passed, though at first he was not aware that it had. He wasn't even aware that there had been a storm at all-- or that he was lucky to be alive.

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He was, however, aware of the throbbing ache in his head. And when he sat up and felt an explosion of pain in his skull, Link recalled just how he was dealt the blow. He then remembered he was supposed to be saying 'hi' to Davie Jones at his locker, but Link appeared not to have sunk to a watery grave after all.

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He sat on a projection of smooth slate on the backside of the island, warmed by the late afternoon sun. The thunderstorm had broken apart into numerous, puffy cumulous clouds that drifted pleasantly overhead. The winds were southerly; Beedle could finally leave port for Windfall.

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The girl! Where had she gone? Who had taken her? And then Link remembered the winged-beast. Link had a sinking feeling the bird hadn't left peacefully and he prayed that it hadn't totally demolished the island. He hoped Aryll had sense enough to find shelter…and come to think of it, she still had his hat!

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Wearily, Link got to his feet and by the narrow paths he made his way back to the grassy slopes of the island. He past the place where he had left Aryll, as if almost expecting her to be still there, ready to berate him for running off like that. Link didn't find it odd, though, when she wasn't there. After all, she probably went home when the storm struck.

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It was his hat lying forgotten on the path that stirred the first sense of uneasiness. 

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As he bent to pick it up, he assured himself that Aryll just must have just dropped with a fright. Storms always scared her, especially the thunder.

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He past the docks and he met the disheartening sight of overturned boats, tangled nets, and wasted catch high and dry on the shore. A few storm-shutters had blown off the houses. A group of children were picking through some of the wreckage and Link thought it strange that Aryll wasn't there bossing them around. However, he didn't find it strange enough to ask them where she was.

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Beedle was shaking his head at his slightly damaged sampan. He did not see Link go by.

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"Hi, Beedle," Link said.

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"Hey, Link," Beedle replied, distracted. "Link?" Beedle whirled around and gasped. "You're alive!" Link was engulfed it a rough, bear-squeeze.

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"Yeah, I'm alive. What did you think?"

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"We though you had died! Oh, thank the goddesses!"

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"We?" said Link. " Aww, no! Gran doesn't think I'm dead, does she? She'll be furious with me now for worrying her!" Link broke away from Beedle. "Hey, have you seen Aryll?"

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Link's stomach sank as he saw Beedle's face fall. "Er, Link sit down," he said, motioning to an overturned barrel. "I've got something to tell you."

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But before Link allowed Beedle seat him, he saw an awful sight behind Beedle. It was his house. The canopy over the porch had collapsed and the verandah swing was upside down on their lawn. The roof was damaged and not one storm-shutter remained on its hinges. A support beam had given away and the entire frame of the house sagged because of it. 

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Link pushed past Beedle and sprinted towards the house. "Gran, are you in there? Aryll?"

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Beedle caught up with Link and gripped him by the shoulders. "Gran's fine. She's resting at Orca's for the time being. Now hush, so she doesn't hear you and think your ghost has risen. The woman has been through enough today."

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"Where's Aryll?" Link demanded, fighting Beedle's hold.

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Beedle refused to look him in the eye. "She's missing, Link. The sea took her."

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His fears were confirmed. He felt an odd, numb detachment to Beedle—to the world.

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"But don't lose hope, Link. I mean, you turned up, didn't you."

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The bird…it's got her…" muttered Link. 

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"What?"

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But Link was paying no attention to him. The bird must have taken Aryll after it tried to do away with both Link and the girl. Aryll and the girl bore a slight resemblance to each other with their fair hair and Hylian features; the beast could have easily mistaken one for the other. 

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"I need to find the pirates…they chased the bird all the way out here…because the bird had the girl…but why did the bird have the girl?" He was thinking aloud, pacing back and forth. There was a piece missing to this puzzle.

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"Pirates, Link? What are you talking about?" questioned Beedle, concern creasing his face.

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"Didn't you see them? Didn't you _hear _them?" cried Link. "They were firing at the bird."

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Beedle shook his head. "That was the thunder you heard, Link. And what bird are you talking about? That bump on the head must of made you see things. It was a hurricane—it is the season for them. The Helmaroc King sent us the worst one in years."

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Link almost jumped when the realization hit him. "The _Helmaroc King_! Of course!"

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The Helmaroc King was the mighty spirit of the fierce, hurricane winds. It was said that he was a winged-beast that soared along with the winds of his own devastating, storms. Link had always believed it to be imaginary, like the Hero of Time. It was something old women and children spoke of; Link had never taken it seriously—until now, that is. 

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"Where did you say Gran was?" 

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Beedle was looking apprehensive. "At Orca's…but, Link, I don't think this is a good time to go barging in. Why don't you just take it easy here…_Link?_ Hey come back here! Link!"

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Link pounded up Orca's porch steps, his chest rising and falling heavily. Orca was absent from his usual perch on the verandah swing where the crusty old man liked to growl at neighborhood kids. Link wrenched open the door and brushed past the group of islanders congregated in Orca's kitchen.

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"Link?"

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"He's alive?"

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Link ignored them and went into the backroom. As he expected, he found Gran, looking worn and listless, sitting in a heap in Orca's chair. Orca stood with his arms crossed and his wide, Indian-bow mouth fell open when Link came in.

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"By, the Goddesses!" he gasped.

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Gran looked up from her lap. "Link!" She rose from the chair with swiftness Link had not seen from her in years. Her sharp wit failed her and embraced him instead.

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"Gran, Aryll's…" Link began.

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"She died just like your mother did: taken by the sea," Gran said softly. "Your father is going to be devastated. At lest you're safe. I knew the Goddesses weren't wicked enough to take both my babies away."

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"No, you don't understand," said Link, stepping back. "Aryll was snatched by the Helmaroc King. The pirates know something about it, and if we just find them maybe we can find her."

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Panting, Beedle barged into the room. "I'm awfully sorry," Beedle said to Gran. "Don't mind him, he doesn't know what he's saying; he's talking nonsense. I think he suffered a concussion."

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Author's Note: I know, I know-- a lot of this chapter just consists of people saying, "Goddesses! You're alive, Link!?" The pacing is going slower than I anticipated and you may be thinking _'Holy Crap! It's been four chapters and Link hasn't even left Outset yet!!!' _I'm also doing things the hard way: like, how I just didn't have Tetra fall into the woods and then Link hitch a ride with the pirates to the Forsaken Fortress. Please let me know if you think I'm dragging this on far too long. In other words, **REVIEW!!!**

Also, I should have mentioned this in the beginning: **_this fic is based extremely loosely on the actual Wind Waker Game!_** The plot only strays more from the game from here on in. There is an introduction of new characters, canon characters are explored and expanded on, and some technicalities of the game's plot had been bent. As one reviewer (and_ thank you for the lovely reviews, by the way_) pointed out, Link is actually _12_ in the game, whereas in this fiction Link is _16_. I'm aiming for a less cutesy atmosphere in this story and am trying to achieve that 'Ocarina of Time' epic feel. I loved the Wind Waker, but I don't want to write a play by play description of it—I want to write the story inside my head! 

~ Thanks!

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Disclaimer: Is this necessary on every page? LOL. I do not own Zelda!


	5. Chapter Five: Convincing Gran

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Author's Note: This is really only half a chapter. I sort of forgot I had this on my computer and decided to post it. I'm discontinuing this story but I'm seriously toying with the notion of revising and starting anew. Let me know what you think in a **REVIEW!**

. C H A P T E R 5 [Convincing Gran] 

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"I do _not _have a concussion!" shouted Link, which, he realized as he said it, was an utter lie. He was still feeling the ache from where the pirate had whacked him on the head with an oar. Link rubbed his head subconsciously.

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"Link, I know you're upset, but it will do you no good to get all worked up like this. For your Gran's sake, calm down," reasoned Beedle.

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"Oh yeah? Well, what good will it do Aryll just sitting here, doing nothing? We can still save her! If he had wanted her as a meal he would have already gobbled up the first girl." It would have done Link good to step outside his head and listen to exactly what he was saying. He must have sounded like a complete lunatic to those present. The events that had just occurred did seem a bit far-fetched: his sister stolen by a gigantic bird that was pursued by pirates? Even Link began to doubt himself.

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To Link's fury, Gran felt his forehead for a temperature.

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"C'mon, Link, let's go down to the sampan. I've got some crushed Boko seeds that will make you feel better." With much protest, Beedle began to lead Link out of the room.

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"No."

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But it wasn't Link who objected—it was Orca, using the low, guttural growl he usually reserved for haranguing the neighborhood children. He was eyeing Link in the most unusual manner as he moved towards him. With his flat face, measured movements, and calculating stare, Link was thoroughly reminded of a snake ready to strike.

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"Tell me, boy, what did the Helmaroc King look like?"

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Link couldn't find fitting words to convey the image of the terrible, winged-beast. "He was a huge bird-creature."

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Orca snorted, unsatisfied. "Beedle could of told me that and he doesn't even believe in such nonsense. Everybody knows what the Helmaroc King is supposed to be—a gigantic, flying monster. But what did you see? What do you remember the most about the monster…what scared you the most…what still scares you when you bring it to mind's eye?"

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Link thought and thought hard. "The eyes…" he answered slowly and truthfully, "…when it looked at me."

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"Go on," croaked Orca.

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"It wasn't so much the color of them--and come to think of it: I can't even remember the color. They glowed like a thundercloud does just as lightening leaps out. Kind of like a wildcat's eyes at night when you shine a lantern on them… but it was day and his eyes shined with their own light. And when he—_it_—looked right at me…" Link swallowed, and suppressed a shudder. He could not bring himself to finish the description; instead he appealed to Orca. " I swear to you, _he's real_. I've never seen anything more real in my life."

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All eyes were on Orca.

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"You're not very convincing, boy," he said.

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Link's heart dropped like a stone. Gran and Beedle both let out a sigh of relief.

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"—_But_, I have recently come across some information that lends your bizarre tale some credibility." Orca strode over to his table and retrieved a newspaper—_The_ _Windfall Daily—_with last week's date on the cover. "The Rito postman brought this yesterday morning." He cleared his throat and read the title aloud_, "WEATHLY MERCHANT MISSING A DAUGHTER_. _In a series of disappearances, Mila Finchfeather, daughter of Sir Walter Finchfeather, is the latest girl to vanish without a trace…girls ranging from early adolescence onward have been kidnapped—ten so far—since last winter. Island authorities are dumbfounded and their only link between the kidnappings is that they seem to occur during particularly violent storms._" Orca folded the newspaper and tucked it under his arm.

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Series of disappearances? Link gulped. He had always yearned for some excitement in his life and now he had it. But it was anything but what Link had hoped for.

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Unfortunately I got bored and frustrated with this story after a new idea popped into my head, an idea that has since turned into** The Lost Trove of the Desert Kings**. (Don't worry, I won't be giving up on that story anytime soon!)

However, while skimming through it after receiving some renewed interest, I decided that this fic wasn't so bad after all and it only needed some TLC. So some boring Sunday afternoon I'll restart it with only minor changes.

**__**

Feedback would be greatly appreciated, especially with some helpful criticism and a few pointers!


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